Play teaches children about themselves and the world they live in, engaging them socially, physically, intellectually, and creatively. Parents must allow their children time to play; they must participate in the play to help their children learn and to foster a sense of intimacy. (SM)

Examines the significance of play within the traditional cultures of North America's indigenous peoples. Identifies four components of Native American education practice--significance, competence, power, and virtue; and discusses native American principles of child rearing, such as guidance without interference. The lyrics of a song written by an…

Describes two models of preschool "playrooms" developed in Serbia based on British playgroups as an alternative to professionally run creches and kindergartens. Playrooms are managed and staffed by parents and promote play as an authentic activity for preschool children. Traces program development and cites research results comparing the…

Suggests ways for teachers to support children's literacy development in the classroom's dramatic play center by providing literacy-related props, such as pencils and pads of paper, that people use in real situations. (BB)

Examines ways child caregivers can create fun, safe, and stimulating play environment for young children. Includes discussion of several factors: (1) a carefully planned and organized physical environment; (2) routine, repetition, and consistency; (3) clearly stated expectations and limits; (4) interaction with the children; (5) behavior role…

Describes Improvised Musical Play (IMP), a teaching strategy that uses simple rhythms, chanting, and singing to make participation in social play with nondelayed peers easier for developmentally delayed children. (BB)

The environment of commercial video game parlors and determinants of their use were studied through interviews with three parlor managers and informal observation. Environment varies considerably across parlors, and parlor traffic is found to be a function of temporal and ecological variables. (SLD)

A total of 403 black, inner-city infants born to women recruited prenatally on basis of their alcohol consumption during pregnancy were assessed on a battery of tests focusing on information processing and complexity of play. Increased prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with longer fixation duration, a result indicative of less efficient…

Presents interview with Dr. Violent Oaklander, experienced child therapist and author of "Windows to Our Children: A Gestalt Therapy with Children and Adolescents." Discusses critical components of successful therapy with children. Explains how developmental stage of child affects therapeutic process, and provides specific examples of working with…

Provides an overview of technology solutions for young children who have developmental concerns. Discusses the rationale for developmentally appropriate assistive technology and the use of high-tech computer-based solutions. Issues related to selecting appropriate hardware and software applications and a review of play-based software options are…

Discusses the ambivalence felt by early-childhood teachers about young children's sexual behaviors. Focuses on the importance of context in understanding normal sexual development in young children and specific behaviors that might signal an underlying problem. Presents a continuum of young children's sexual behaviors, ranging from normal to…

A study evaluated whether the availability of particular types of toys would influence the level of interactive play achieved by eight preschool children with disabilities in an inclusive preschool classroom. Results indicated that cooperative play was significantly more likely when social toys were available. (Author/CR)

Reviews the literature on the role of play in a young child's development and describes the development of a preschool play-based curriculum for children with disabilities. Distinguishes types of play and discusses important play spaces in the physical environment, adult/child interactions, accommodations to meet individual needs, and assessment.…

Opportunities for teaching a young child with autism to request more play were created at multiple points on the playground by momentarily interrupting the child's ongoing play using the behavior chain interruption strategy. The intervention resulted in high rates of correct requesting which were maintained with a new teacher and generalized to a…

Discusses the significance of play in culture; quotes an old proverb "a lesson taught with an entertaining facet is a lesson retained." Presents 13 children's games that are currently being used in management-training and development programs. Describes the purpose, activity, preparation and debriefing involved for each game. (Author/AEF)